WA’s premier on the housing crisis, stamp duty … and cash-for-access dinners
Ahead of his anniversary as premier, WAtoday grilled Roger Cook on some of the more uncomfortable issues facing the government he’ll take to the next election.
- by Hamish Hastie
Latest
Exclusive
Indigenous culture
Leaked letter reveals internal concerns about science on Australia’s next world heritage site
Rock art monitoring in Western Australia’s north was being done without “integrity, diligence or governance”, a Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation employee wrote.
- by Hamish Hastie and Peter Milne
Exclusive
Environmental protection
Perth Zoo, Rottnest trees felled as borer spreads through 88 suburbs
More than 3000 trees across Perth’s best-loved spaces have been destroyed as one of the state’s biggest-ever biosecurity operation ramps up a desperate defence.
- by Hamish Hastie
Exclusive
WA budget
Multimillion-dollar plans vanish from WA budget as East Perth power station site costs balloon
The $39.5 million set aside for Main Roads WA to build the footbridge across East Parade has vanished from the budget papers, with just $2.4 million spent on the project to date.
- by Hamish Hastie
Exclusive
Water
Coca-Cola was about to receive a waterwise award. Then the water minister stepped in
Coca-Cola was gearing up to receive a WaterCorp “gold waterwise business recognition” at an event hosted by the minister. Then the accolade was snatched away.
- by Hamish Hastie
Exclusive
WA budget
WA government spends $2 million to prop up ailing regional newspapers
The scheme was only made public after the May WA budget included a line item detailing a further $1 million for “phase two” over the 2024-25 financial year.
- by Hamish Hastie
Updated
Tourism
New $5 billion investment to make Perth Airport country’s second-biggest
Qantas executives and the state’s premier have announced Qantas’ largest ever infrastructure deal, and Perth’s largest ever private infrastructure development.
- by Claire Ottaviano and Hamish Hastie
‘We were failed, too’: Lynn Cannon’s family devastated over Floreat murders
The sister of a Perth woman murdered by her ex-husband in 2022 claims the family of the Floreat killer was failed by police, and her family went through “the same situation”.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt, Hamish Hastie and Claire Ottaviano
Floreat murderer ‘did not meet threshold’ of restraining order before he shot two women
The state’s police commissioner has flagged an internal probe into three interactions the family of Mark Bombara had with police before his explosion of violence.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt and Hamish Hastie
Updated
Environmental activism
Whitby removes former Chevron employee from Karratha gas plant appeal
Environment Minister Reece Whitby decided to remove Murdoch University Professor Simon McKirdy to maintain public confidence in the appeal committee’s work.
- by Hamish Hastie
How WA’s new gun laws might have applied to the Floreat murderer
Mark Bombara was a law-abiding gun owner – right up until he wasn’t. New laws under debate cannot bring back lost loved ones, but may alter the ownership landscape.
- by Hamish Hastie